Improvement in car-seats



C. O. MASON. Gar-Seat.

No. 215,141. Patented May 6'; 1879.

N. PETERS, PNDTO LFIHOGRAFNEIL WASHINGTON. D G.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. MASON, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-SEATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,141, dated May 6, 1879 application filed February 10, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. MASON, of Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Seats and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved car-seat. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same; and Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view taken about centrally of the length of the seat.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like letters.

This invention relates to certain improvements in reversible car-seats; and it consists in the combination, with a seat frame or support, the end pieces of which are constructed each with a central convex shoulder or swell and adjacent concavities, of a detachable and adjustable seat provided with straight end pieces having convex shoulders and a central stop, in such a manner that the seat will adjust itself, in shifting the hinged back automatically upon its frame or support, substantially as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, A refers to the seat-supporting frame, in general construction the same as those now in ordinary use. The frame A is supported itself upon the metallic legs B, with their inwardly-projecting feet screwed, bolted, or otherwise fastened to the car-floor. These legs are made preferably after the form of an X, and provided at their upper ends with shoulders '0, upon which rest the front and back rails of the frame A, and with rightangled plates-b b, through which are inserted screws or bolts, fastening the front and back rails of the frame A in position upon said legs, the end pieces of said frame being fastened upon said legs'by similar fastenings inserted through the upper ends of legs. This makes a substantial and rigid frame at very little expense.

c c are connecting-pieces between and fastened to the legs B.

The upper surfaces of the end pieces of the frame A, designated by the letter O, are provided at their ends with concavities or rounded out, as at d, midway between which concavi ties is an elevation or convexity, d, on each of said end pieces, the function of which will be referred to in connection with the seat.

- D D are the arms of the seat-supporting frame A, to which is hung the reversible cushioned back E in the usual way, with its lower edge resting against one of the seat-supporting frame-rails and the seat. I

F is the seat, whose end pieces are of a rocker shape or rounded upon their lower sur-, faces, as at f, Fig. 2, with their convexity resting in the concavities, and their straight or fiat part between the convex shoulders f f, resting slantingly upon the elevations of the frame A. The said pieces of the seat rest only in the concavities on one side of the elevations at a time, they (the concavities) being duplicated to accommodate the seat when reversed.

About centrally in the lower side of the seat is a cross-piece having the stop 6, which, strik: ing against the longitudinal railsof the frame A as the seat is adjusted to its position, limits the forward movement of the seat. To prevent the accidental lifting of the seat as the occupant rises to leave it, a stud or projection, g, is attached to each end of the stop e, entering an aperture, 9, in each of the longitudinal rails of the frame A.

The object of concavin g and shouldering the end supporting-pieces of the frame A is to adjust the seat automatically to the desired inclination to suit the comfort of the occupant. The rounding of the lower surface of the seat end pieces is to adapt them to fit the concavities of the supporting-pieces of the frame A, and to facilitate the movement of the seat as it is reversed or its inclination changed.

It will be observed that as the swinging or hinged back E is reversed to enable the occupant or occupants of the seat to face in either direction, as is common with this class of seats, it (the back) will, by contact therewith, effect the movement of the seat in a forward direction until arrested by the stop 0, while simultaneously therewith the back edge of the seat will sink by the entrance of its end pieces into the concavities of the frame A, and its forward edge be elevated by the contact of its said end pieces with the elevations or shoulders of said frame. All of this is accomplished without the use of springs and other similar means.

I am aware that it is not new, broadly, to construct a seat which will adjust itself automatically upon its frame or support when the back is reversed, seats having been used which were hinged centrally at each end upon the side pieces of the supporting-frame, or provided upon their under side with curved bars or guides playing upon or engaging with pins secured in the frame; but these several constructions are objectionable as either being too complex, and thus adding to the cost of the seat, or preventing the removal of the seat from its frame when it is desired to clean it, &c.

CHARLES C. MASON.

Witnesses:

W. D. Conan, W. A. CALDWELL. 

